April 15

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.—HEB. iv, 16.

For earthly blessings, moderate be thy prayer And qualified: for light, for strength, for grace, Unbounded thy petition.

HANNAH MORE.

As God knows all things, it is not in order that He may be informed of our wants that He has appointed prayer, nor is it to dispose and incline Him to show mercy, because God in Christ Jesus is self-moved by His love to His people to do this, but there are three principal reasons why God requires prayer in order to the bestowment of mercies on men. First, Thereby to acknowledge our dependence on Him; for as God has made all things for His glory, so He will be glorified and acknowledged by His people especially, and it is fit He should require this of those who would be the subjects of His mercy. Second, To exercise and strengthen the Christian's graces. Prayer tends to strengthen faith, to increase love, humility, and patience, to invigorate hope, and benefit all the graces of the SPIRIT in the real believer; and the more he prays in faith, the more all these graces grow. Thirdly, God requires prayer to make us more sensible of the value of the mercies we seek. If we were to have favors without asking for them, such is our depravity that we should think too lightly of them; but by being made to wait for them, and kept by faith in expectation of receiving them, when they come they are generally better received. Hereby is excited a sense of our need of the mercies we pray for, and the mind is better prepared to prize them when received, and to rejoice and be thankful for them when bestowed. Thus we have the greatest reason to bless the Lord that He has made prayer a duty, and we should pray that it may be made our delight. PRESIDENT EDWARDS.